Hi LIz, The rush to be baptised in 1837 is generally put down to a mis-understanding of the new registration procedure aided and abetted by the local church wardens who had the job of ensuring that parishioners attended church and had their children baptised. Localised mini rushes at other time are often accounted for by a change on incumbent of the appointment of a more enthusiastic warden. There was a general drive to promote the Church of England in the early 1800's in the light of the growth of nonconformist faiths and the Church of Rome. This culminated in the 1851 religious census which was intended to determine the return on investment so to speak. Tigger